East Elementary School’s girls running club members pose for a photo on a recent Saturday in Falls Park, where they participated in a 5K run.
Clara Zepik, Lainey Sellers, Trinity Stuller and Audrey Zepik pose for a photo.
Alessandra Simon (left) runs with older sister Elsa Simon (No. 2) and Chandler Mong (No. 4), two of the students participating in the East Elementary School girls running club 5K.
PENDLETON — More than 60 East Elementary School students participated the school’s girls 5K running club event, which took place on a recent Saturday in Falls Park.
”The program was established to encourage girls to live healthy lifestyles and improve social and friendship skills,” EES staff member Leslie Davis, one of six sponsors of the event, said in an email to The Times-Post. “We met each week and spent time together running/walking. We had a short lesson each week focusing on assertiveness, goal setting, healthy eating, body image and friendship skills.”
Other sponsors were Ashlee James, Sydney Personett, Jessica Sherban, Tammy Smith and Jessica Zepik.
“The club ended with our 5K event,” Davis said. “This was not a competitive run. It was about achieving a goal and celebrating accomplishments.
”Parents and staff members lined the course to cheer on the girls as they crossed the finish line. It was a great moment seeing the girls push themselves and realize that, ‘They Can Do Hard Things.’”